THOMAS BENTON ELEM.

THOMAS BENTON ELEM. is a K-5 school of intimate scale in COLUMBIA, Missouri, run under COLUMBIA 93, enrolling 232 students in grades pre-K through 5. Compared to the state average of about 315 students per school, that is 26% leaner than typical.

THOMAS BENTON ELEM. is one of 34 schools operated by COLUMBIA 93, a district that teaches 18,640 students overall.

Looking at the student body, THOMAS BENTON ELEM. shows that 41% of students identify as Black, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. The remainder breaks down as 38% White, 15% multiracial, 6% Hispanic. That is noticeably more Black than the county at large, where the share is closer to 10%.

On the resource side, Staff filings list 20 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 11.7:1 students per teacher. The state averages around 12.4:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. About 100% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy. By comparison, Boone County runs at roughly 38%, so the school's eligibility rate is higher than the surrounding baseline.

After controlling for student poverty, THOMAS BENTON ELEM. sits in the top 10% of Missouri schools after the BeatsExpectations adjustment. Predicted proficiency for the school's FRL share is roughly 49.4%; actual is 87.6%, +38.2 points clear of the demographic baseline.

Across the wider county, ACS estimates for Boone County put median household earnings sit near $72,758, roughly 52% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 8% of residents live below the federal poverty line. THOMAS BENTON ELEM. is one of 58 public schools in Boone County (combined enrollment of about 24,547 students).

Locust St Expressive Arts Elem is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.5 miles from this campus. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Among the 7 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), THOMAS BENTON ELEM. ranks 1st on composite proficiency, higher than the local average of 65.4%.

The campus sits in a high-density setting.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count contracted 25%: 308 students in 2018 compared to 232 in 2025. Over the same period, the Black share ticked down from 46% to 41%.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.